Spreading hope and encouragement to moms and women

If anyone has had a rough transition into motherhood, it’s me. But can we even call it a transition anymore? I’m already 2 years in!

Ain’t no hood like motherhood is the truest thing ever. Motherhood: ain’t nothing like it.

Motherhood is where I lost all personal routine and found myself back and forth on low emotions.

I realized I needed some goals so I sat down, got after it and I wrote down 45! Talk about setting myself up for failure! I picked 4 EASY, obtainable goals to apply to life. These help me feel accomplished and more myself which in turn help me be a better wife and mother and allow me to actually enjoy life’s moments much more.

1. Wake up at the same time everyday.

Jordan Peterson, acclaimed clinical psychologist and author of 12 Rules for Life says in his book,

“Waking up at a consistent hour is a necessity. Anxiety and depression cannot be easily treated if the sufferer has unpredictable daily routines.”

I used to think not having to set an alarm was one of the best parts of being a SAHM, but turns out it’s not so great. My day is 1000 Xs better when I wake up on my own, even if it’s just a tad bit before my son does. Rather than letting my 2 year old be my alarm clock, I’ve started setting my alarm for 6:00 AM. Sometimes he is up soon after and some days I get a good 40 minutes to myself. If I can start my day alone as simple as brushing my teeth and getting some reading in, it changes everything.

2. Eat breakfast.

Jordan Peterson (again, because, gosh, he is just so good!) also says in 12 Rules for Life, “I counsel my clients to eat a fat and protein-heavy breakfast as soon as possible after they awaken.” He goes on to explain why that specific meal is important. “I have had many clients whose anxiety was reduced to sub clinical levels merely because they started to sleep on a predictable schedule and eat breakfast.”

As a mom sometimes we forget to eat, which then leads to just shoving down some junk food as we walk through the kitchen, which is never a good decision. Making sure I start the day with some food has helped with that throughout the day, plus reducing anxiety as a mom? Yes please!

3. Exercise.

This has zero to do with losing weight or getting skinny. It has everything to do with mood and sanity. My mood and mind act very differently when I do and don’t work out.

• Exercise increases serotonin (sometimes referred to as the happy chemical) because it helps your brain regulate mood, sleep and appetite, contributing to well-being and happiness.

• Exercise increases your level of endorphins, which triggers a positive feeling in the body, thus a natural mood lifter.

• Exercise gives you a focused activity that can help you feel a sense of accomplishment.

4. Set an easy, obtainable daily goal.

I have found a daily feeling of accomplishment does wonders. And I’m talking, E A S Y , simple 2 minute tasks – make your bed, open the blinds, put your coffee mug in the dishwasher. Simple. Accomplished. Done. Now, you can conquer the world! ✅

Sit down and write your own goals. Get together with someone who knows you best and can help identify things that really help create a confident, happy, healthy you. And then get after it, mama. Here’s to a better day, a better week, a better you!

I devoted nine months to purposely being single when I turned eighteen. A no dating contract I made with myself, for myself. Just before this I went from relationship to relationship desiring to feel loved, be loved, find worth. I remember feeling quite the opposite of love and worth at that point in time. My body and soul searching for fulfillment only to be left feeling empty, at rock bottom. I’m in my mid-thirties now so this no dating contract was a whole fifteen years ago. But I remember this time so clearly. It was absolutely incredible. I had nothing to prove to anybody- not to some guy I wanted to date, not to some girl I wanted to show my relationship off to, not to myself proving I won someone’s approval. You see, I grew up thinking “I have to be with somebody to be somebody.” That’s a lie. Not only is it a lie, but it is the opposite from the truth. The truth is every one of my relationships work better when I am secure and whole in myself. My relationship with my husband, my friends, the girl in the mirror. When I place my worth on someone else that puts pressure on them to measure up to standards they can never measure up to. Those nine months became a solid foundation for myself and future relationships. I quit looking for love in all the wrong places. I wasn’t trying to win the approval of anyone. I quit trying to find who I was in someone else. It was so freeing. It was so refreshing. I spent those nine months focusing deeply on my relationship with Christ. When I rooted myself in Him, I found out who Kristin really was. I dealt with the lonely, hurt girl and dove into all the things Christ says about Him, and me, and us. I began to not need the approval of others nor a guy by my side to find worth. My security and identity began to form from Scripture and my relationship with Christ. Needing something to prove to myself and others began to fade away. I realized I have nothing to prove because I have everything I need- single or not- in Christ.

Like this:

It’s my 2 year anniversary as a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). My boss didn’t call me into his office to evaluate my work and give me a raise. My boss didn’t leave a thoughtful card on my desk or surprise me with chicken minis and tell me how thankful the office is to have me or how my work around here is appreciated. I didn’t even get a cheesy company pen. But I work up again, just like I do everyday, giving my job my all. All my time, all my energy, all my effort. All my heart, all my soul, all my love. I don’t get paid time off or sick days. Shoot, I don’t even get a lunch break. There are a lot of perks to having a paid job, but man, there are a lot of perks to staying at home with my son. So, shout out to all you moms out there working year after year, month after month, day after day, hour after hour with no paid benefits, no accolades, and no public recognition. We have tiny little hands that wrap around our necks that let us know we are doing a good job. Soft little voices that say “yove you mama” that let us know we are appreciated. Sweet little smiles and loud, gut belly laughs that let us know we are wanted and are making all the difference in the world. These things are the best. I really like chicken minis, but I’d take this over a raise any day of the week.